Dear President Snyder,
We alumni, donors, parents, faculty, students, and concerned friends object to your decision to honor President Bill Clinton as LMU’s 2016 commencement speaker on May 7th. If you as President of LMU treated a 21 year old intern in your office as he did, you would be fired as president and never honored in any way at LMU. Why should the standards be lower for a President of the United States? If LMU cares about sexual harassment, it should not honor someone repeatedly and credibly accused of such activity. Moreover, it is inappropriate in an election year to honor the spouse of a leading candidate thereby politicizing an event that should be unifying. Finally, President Clinton’s steadfast support of abortion on demand, including even partial birth abortion, is incompatible with LMU’s Jesuit emphasis on social justice for all human beings.
We protest your decision to give an honorary doctorate to President Clinton.
RenewLMU
To support this effort please sign below and circulate this petition. We also welcome you to include your own comment.
LMU Jesuit Rector Defends Giving an Honorary Doctorate to President Bill Clinton
In the Loyolan, Jesuit Father Allan Figueroa Deck, the rector of the Jesuit Community at LMU and a trustee, defends giving President Clinton an honorary doctorate. “In conferring this honor LMU does not endorse all of Mr. Clinton’s past or current policies nor condone all his actions,” Fr. Deck told the Loyolan, “Rather, the University recognizes the extraordinary service he has given to civil society and his lifetime connection to Catholic and Jesuit higher education as a Georgetown University alumnus.”
By contrast, the U.S. Catholic Bishops teach, “Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” A politician’s extraordinary service does not constitute an exception to this principle, since any politician who is being considered for an honor presumably has exemplary service in at least some respects.
Fr. Deck’s response to RenewLMU’s criticism attacks a straw man. No one thinks that to grant an honorary doctorate is to endorse all of a politician’s policies or to condone all the politician’s actions. Nor is the question whether the politician provided extraordinary service or attended a Jesuit university. The question is whether President Clinton’s policies and actions violate fundamental Catholic moral principles about partial birth abortion, perjury, obstruction of justice, and sexual harassment in the workplace. The answer is obvious.
RenewLMU 
I don’t believe there’s any good in inviting President Clinton. Also since his wife is running for the presidency it will send a wrong message. As you know his wife does not belive in the Catholic doctrine and as a Catholic school I belive LMU should defend the Catholic identity of the school. Please please do not invite him.
By giving a platform to yet another abortion advocate, LMU continues to ignore the thousands of parents, students, alumni, and donors who have repeatedly written to the university with one simple request – live up to your mission as a Catholic institution of higher education.
I love my alma mater but I am embarassed by the actions of its decision-makers.
I am very concerned that a Catholic University would invite someone who supports ideals that go against the Catholic Church.
Inviting Bill Clinton to be the 2016 commencement speaker shows extraordinarily bad judgment. LMU dishonors its Catholic identity.
The source of the financing of the Clinton Foundation and his moral character should have been reason enough to not invite ex-president Clinton.
The moral standards of LMU are continuing to sink. I was hopeful that President Snyder would turn things around.
From a colleague on the LMU faculty. I am a professor at Loyola University Chicago. Like a number of colleagues at Jesuit colleges and universities I am dedicated to fostering an authentic Jesuit and Catholic identity. Inviting President Clinton is a betrayal of that identity, and so the invitation should be revoked.
Catholic values should be supported but Bill Clinton does not represent anything resembling Christianity.
An impeached, pro-abortion, disbarred, lying cheating, rapist. Need I say more???
Anne, your comments are pithy, pertinent and pointed. Thanks for stating matters clearly. The fact that there is a total lack of clear thinking about how this clearly reflects very poorly on the purported Catholic values of LMU is astounding to the point of eliciting pain.
Bad Choice. Terrible message you’re sending to LMU friends, family and graduates.
LMU should definitely reconsider the message they are sending out regarding sexual harassment. Honoring President Clinton further diminishes LMU’s Catholic identity and reputation as an honorable institution of higher education. LMU has a moral responsibility to rescind its offer.
As the parent of a current LMU student, I wish to register my strong objection to LMU’s invitation to Bill Clinton. No one with Clinton’s background of support for abortion and history of sexual harassment should ever be invited to speak at any college which calls itself Catholic or held up as a positive role model for its students.
Those of us who make sacrifices to send our children to a Jesuit Catholic university deserve better than seeing that university honor someone who is so antithetical to Catholic values. I had hopes of seeing a renewal of LMU’s Catholic commitment when you were selected as President, but it appears those hopes were unfortunately unfounded. If LMU and other Jesuit universities do not wish to stand up for Catholic values, then they should openly repudiate their Catholic identities so there will no longer be any confusion as to their values.
I cannot believe that LMU would even consider former President Clinton as a graduation speaker. He has none of the attributes of a Christian let alone Jesuit example. I would be sorely disappointed if the university extended him the invitation to speak. I am convinced you can do much better.
This is scandalous for a Catholic University to host Bill Clinton.
Nobody who is for abortion on demand and partial-birth abortion and lied under oath before the whole nation about his sexual immorality should be the commencement speaker of a Catholic university, if that institution claims to be Catholic. C’mon LMU, time to start being what you are or stop identifying yourself as Catholic.
This is embarrassing! He’s an intelligent person but has a significant disrespect for the law and office of the president of the finest country in the world. Is this a publicity grab for LMU? Sure makes a mockery of the idea of instilling values let alone the distinction of Jesuit education. Very poor judgment LMU. For what it’s worth, you lost my respect.
With all the superior speakers available, does LMU have to stoop so low as to choose an individual who is pro-abortion, promiscuous, and untruthful? I am ashamed of my alma mater.
I was disgusted to hear of the news that former president Bill Clinton was invited to speak for commencement. First of all, commencement should not be a politicized event during an election year, especially since the California Democratic primary happens in June. To invite Bill Clinton to speak is to at least implicitly support Hillary for president. Second of all, Bill Clinton is a sexual predator, and to invite a known sexual predator for commencement is to silence and minimize the epidemic of sexual assault and rape on college campus. This is unacceptable. There is nothing in Bill Clinton’s history that suggests he support Jesuit values, and therefore he is not fit to speak to those values at commencement. I expect LMU to disinvite Bill Clinton as soon as possible as an act of integrity for the identity of the university.
Your liberal Democrat faculty and Management have NO Moral Compass, and a tight Litmus test for hiring.Your anti- Republican bias should be Embarasing to a University and its leadership.
The administration of Loyola will not change their invitation to Clinton, regardless of the backlash. That is because the backlash comes from people who care about the Catholic Character of LMU. The president of LMU runs with another crowd. He couldn’t care less about the “so-called Catholic Character of LMU. That’s not on his radar. How on earth do these characters get these jobs???
Please return to a position of our Faith and Church teachings and leadership.
LMU is supposed to be a Catholic college, a Jesuit institution. Shouldn’t speakers reflect our Catholic values? LMU should be an example of strong Catholic faith to our young people.
I am a Democrat and father of five daughters. Bill Clinton certainly is no model for respect to women. In addition, Is Loyola Marymount still a Catholic College? What with it’s smoozie relationship with the pro-abortion group. Just asking.
LMU’s Jesuit tradition stand that all are welcome to the school, not just those who share the same beliefs and values. That is the point of LMU’s holistic education.
Additionally, you ask for a non-politicized event but you are bringing abortion into your argument, hence taking a political stance.
I loved LMU because it embraced all people of all walks of life, it never made people feel ashamed or judged.
I believe your interest in welcoming all points of view to LMU is valid. LMU should do just that. But it seems every time the invitation is given, it is in the form of honoring the secular side and minimizing and/or repudiating the side based in Catholic philosophy and morality. I would be very interested in Bill Clinton coming to LMU to debate why Partial Birth Abortion was worth the protection of 2 vetoes, or his NARAL rating, or his Planned Parenthood support. But he’s not coming for that. He’s coming to receive personal acceptance and acceptance of his beliefs and actions without the annoyance of acknowledging the views for which he has no respect. I do not mean to be personal. This technique is used by the entire pro ABORTION side, not just Bill Clinton. How often do UCLA or SC or Cal Berkely have a pro life commencement speaker? The closing sentence in your comment brought tears to my eyes, the tens of millions of INNOCENT LIVES will never share in that opportunity. If LMU, an institution of higher learning and center of Catholic Tradition, does not stand up for our weakest and most vulnerable, who will? We must be careful who we honor. Please join us, we need your help and prayers. Innocent Lives must not be an afterthought.
This is scandalous. Quite disheartening that you, in this election year, would thumb your nose at the Bride of Christ and the Mystical Body of Christ by inviting the amoral former President Clinton (who is basically running for First Lady). I am certain I need not list all that former President Clinton did to ever warrant a podium let alone the honor of commencement speaker of any Catholic University–he who, supported the murder, dismemberment, and disposal of millions of baby girls and boys, and lied under oath to every person that he swore to serve regarding his lewd behavior with numerous women while holding the highest office in our country. There is no reconciling this decision…there is nothing that former President Clinton ever did that would outweigh his evil decisions and behavior, which, by the company he keeps, continues to this day. The choice before you is clear: either disinvite former President Clinton or remove your University from the Universities who legitimately are faithful to their Catholic identity in our country since your selection of him over the mission of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church is loud and clear.
I cannot describe my disillusionment with LMU, A FINE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING STEEPED IN CATHOLIC TRADITION AND JESUIT PURSUIT OF GLORY TO GOD! I remember learning to write AMDG on each of my papers: Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam Inque Hominem Salutem – For The Greater Glory of God and (Thus)The Salvation of Man. I call on LMU to defend the weakest among us! Withdraw your invitation to a great abortionist! Join us in obedience to the Catholic teachings on Justice and Love and defend the innocent! And pray for Planned Parenthood and Bill Clinton and the 10’s of millions of innocents who have lost there lives.
You know….you keep hoping/thinking that things just couldn’t get worse…..it is starting to become downright painful…..the temptation to disengage starts to creep in. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. The forces of Darkness are potent indeed and not to be underestimated. It is one thing to be tolerant and listen to the viewpoints of those you oppose but quite a different thing to give the Imprimatur of addressing and to a certain extent representing an Institution with purported Catholic values that having someone speak at a Commencement Ceremony implies. The fact that those who have made the decision to extend this invitation do not see the scandal that it produces speaks volumes as to how “far gone” LMU is. Silence would suggest agreement. I will not and cannot be silent. Pray, pray, pray for LMU.
I am absolutely disgusted that a “so called” Catholic university would even consider, let alone actually invite, Bill Clinton to speak. He in no way deserves to be recognized by a “so called” Catholic university due to his terrible track record for his treatment of women, stance on abortion, and his wife’s role in the Obama administration. Shame on you LMU! You will never receive another cent from me, and I will caution anyone who is considering allowing their child to attend.
I think that the petition says what needs to be said.
We need to adhere to our Catholic philosophy and set an example for our graduates and not affiliate with those who have no ethics.
Please consider this request. It’s deeply saddening that LMU is less in its Catholic identity than ever, as it seems.
With all due respect, please retract the invitation to Bill Clinton to speak at the 2016 Commencement. He, in no way, reflects the moral Catholic heritage of this great university.
Please do not have this person speak at graduation. Thank you.
It’s time we took back our Catholic identity.
This is scandalous. Quite disheartening that you, in this election year, would thumb your nose at the Bride of Christ and the Mystical Body of Christ by inviting the amoral former President Clinton. I am certain I need not list all that former President Clinton did to ever warrant a podium let alone the honor of commencement speaker of any Catholic University–he who, supported the murder, dismemberment, and disposal of millions of baby girls and boys, and lied under oath to every person that he swore to serve regarding his lewd behavior with numerous women while holding the highest office in our country. There is no reconciling this decision…there is nothing that former President Clinton ever did that would outweigh his evil decisions and behavior, which, by the company he keeps, continues to this day. The choice before you is clear: either disinvite former President Clinton or remove your University from the Universities who legitimately are faithful to their Catholic identity in the country since your selection of him over the mission of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church is loud and clear.
You have the same blind people running your school that we do at Notre Dame and at Marquette. As the Catholic profs retire, your situation will worsen. The only way to fight it is to work toward a new administration. That is why your work here is so important. God Bless You. Keep it up…
Dear President Snyder,
You are helping to destroy the Catholicity of LMU. Please reconsider your stand on this issue and rescind your invitation to Mr. Clinton.
Prayers are being said by many to support your standing firm as a Catholic without caving in to the secularism of today.
My voice joins the others,
Colleen Deneen
Outrageous, against Catholic morals, and degrading to women. This has to stop.
A total disgrace.
LMU’s Catholic identity is in serious doubt. This invitation to a lying, pro-abortion and pro-same-sex marriage former president is a slap in the face of the Catholic bishops and of all LMU alumni.
My son has been accepted into the freshman class of 2020. I was SHOCKED to see this email this morning from the Cardinal Newman Society. LMU is his number 2 choice after another university. My son is waiting out till the end of this month to decide between the two universities. I have been in prayer for weeks for him to decide, and will encourage him to no longer consider LMU after this announcement. This news to me means this university is no longer Catholic. I had strong hopes for President Snyder to turn the university around and make it a strong Catholic university again, knowing it may take a few years. President Snyder, if you are reading this, I have been and will continue to pray for you. Also, I don’t want my son to attend LMU. Right now I am grateful he has not accepted LMU’s offer.
Those Clintons are after the Catholic vote, What better way than to have Bill speak at a Catholic university-LMU, to get Hillary votes. Oh how we need to pray!
In this year of Pope Francis’ urging the faithful to strengthen the family, it is incomprehensible that LMU, a Catholic university, has invited President Clinton as the speaker. He is well-known for having been un-faithful to his wife. He is proud of his pro-abortion, anti-life stance. When my daughter chose to attend LMU, I thought she would be encouraged to live the Catholic faith, and presented with Catholic role models, but I am sorely disappointed.
The sexual conduct of Mr Clinton is just not the right influence just because he was s president does not erase his behavior. He lied and he took advantage of a young impressionable intern.
In light of reports about insane costs to UCLA, I find it completely inappropriate for LMU to be spending it’s funds in this manner. Perhaps LMU received a discount because of the nephew connection. The spending aside, it feels like a perverse attempt on LMU’s part to garner attention and future applicants, knowing full well that the speech is inherently politicized (election year…) and NOT intended to celebrate the success of the hardworking Class of ’16. Please reconsider.
Disappointing that the administration could not have selected someone who also represents the ethical ideals that we would hope our new graduates to value and to emulate. I stand with the brave and conscientious RenewLMU students and concerned community members.
The best way to educate the next generation of Catholics is to remain true to Catholic Faith and doctrine.
Anyone who thinks that Bill Clinton is a deserving speaker needs to see a psychiatrist. At the least they must have a short memory of the DISGRACEFUL years when he was president. The Clinton’s are amoral. They think they are above the law. I only hope that the American people will realize that people like this only bring the whole country down AGAIN. The idea of this person speaking at a Catholic event is appalling! SHAME!!
President Clinton’s commencement speech would not be the first time that LMU has violated Saint John Paul II’s apostolic constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae, but this really is the last straw. I will never donate money to LMU, and I will find it difficult to set foot on campus again. LMU continues to honor pro-abortion “statesmen” yet has never invited a bishop, even Archbishop Gomez, to speak at commencement.
I can’t believe you could stoop this low.
This greatly saddens me. This life of ours is not a rehearsal. It’s real. It’s important. What we do matters. Clinton speaking will create scandal and indifference to issues that have widespread and eternal results. If LMU reverses coarse, it will demonstrate leadership in representing Catholic beliefs on the moral issues that are defining our nation. I urge LMU to demonstrate leadership.
This is a disgrace!!!!!!
I strongly question having B.Clinton as an “inspirational” speaker at LMU grad. I dont see how overlooking his deviant sexual behavior/harassment & support of partial birth abortion can possibly be compatible with LMU values??